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ey drew their subsistence。
Corinth was admirably situated； it separated two seas； and opened and shut the Peloponnesus； it was the key of Greece； and a city of the greatest importance； at a time when the people of Greece were a world； and the cities of Greece nations。 Its trade was more extensive than that of Athens； having a port to receive the merchandise of Asia； and another those of Italy； for the great difficulties which attended the doubling Cape Malea； where the meeting of opposite winds causes shipwrecks；＇29＇ induced every one to go to Corinth； and they could even convey their vessels over land from one sea to the other。 Never was there a city in which the works of art were carried to so high a degree of perfection。 But here religion finished the corruption which their opulence began。 They erected a temple to Venus； in which more than a thousand courtesans were consecrated to that deity； from this seminary came the greatest part of those celebrated beauties whose history Athen？us has presumed to commit to writing。
It seems that in Homer's time the opulence of Greece centred in Rhodes； Corinth； and Orchomenus； 〃Jupiter；〃 he says； 〃loved the Rhodians； and made them a very wealthy nation。〃＇30＇ On Corinth he bestows the epithet of rich。＇31＇ In like manner； when he speaks of cities that have plenty of gold； he mentions Orchomenus； to which he joins Thebes in Egypt。 Rhodes and Corinth preserved their power； but Orchomenus lost hers。 The situation of Orchomenus in the neighbourhood of the Hellespont； the Propontis； and the Euxine Sea makes us naturally imagine that she was indebted for her opulence to a trade along that maritime coast； which had given rise to the fable of the golden fleece； and； indeed； the name of Minyeios has been given to Orchomenus as well as to the Argonauts。＇32＇ But these seas becoming afterwards more frequented； the Greeks planted along the coasts a greater number of colonies； which traded with the barbarous nations； and at the same time preserved an intercourse with their mother country。 In consequence of this； Orchomenus began to decline； till at length it was lost in the crowd of the other cities of Greece。
Before Homer's time the Greeks had scarcely any trade but among themselves； and with a few barbarous nations； in proportion； however； as they formed new colonies； they extended their dominion。 Greece was a large peninsula； the capes of which seemed to have kept off the seas； while its gulfs opened on all sides to receive them。 if we cast an eye on Greece； we shall find； in a pretty compact country； a considerable extent of sea…coast。 Her innumerable colonies formed an immense circle round her； and there she beheld； in some measure； the whole civilised world。 Did she penetrate into Sicily and Italy； she formed new nations。 Did she navigate towards the sea of Pontus； the coast of Asia Minor； or that of Africa； she acted in the same manner。 Her cities increased in prosperity in proportion as they happened to have new people in their neighbourhood。 And what was extremely beautiful； she was surrounded on every side with a prodigious number of islands； drawn； as it were； in a line of circumvallation。
What a source of prosperity must Greece have found in those games with which she entertained； in some measure； the whole globe； in those temples； to which all the kings of the earth sent their offerings； in those festivals； at which such a concourse of people used to assemble from all parts； in those oracles； to which the attention of all mankind was directed； and； in short； in that exquisite taste for the polite arts； which she carried to such a height that to expect ever to surpass her would be only betraying our ignorance！
8。 Of Alexander： his Conquests。 Four great events happened in the reign of Alexander which entirely changed the face of commerce： the taking of Tyre； the conquest of Egypt； that likewise of the Indies； and the discovery of the sea which lies south of that country。
The empire of Persia extended to the Indus。＇33＇ Darius； long before Alexander； had sent some vessels； which sailed down this river； and passed even into the Red Sea。＇34＇ How then were the Greeks the first who traded with the Indies by the south？ Had not the Persians done this before？ Did they make no advantage of seas which were so near them； of the very seas that washed their coasts？ Alexander； it is true； conquered the Indies； but was it necessary for him to conquer a country in order to trade with it？ This is what I shall now examine。
Ariana；＇35＇ which extended from the Persian Gulf as far as the Indus； and from the South Sea to the mountains of Paropamisus； depended indeed； in some measure； on the empire of Persia； but in the southern part it was barren； scorched； rude； and uncultivated。 Tradition relates＇36＇ that the armies of Semiramis and Cyrus perished in these deserts； and Alexander； who caused his fleet to follow him； could not avoid losing in this place a great part of his army。 The Persians left the whole coast to the Ichthyophagi；＇37＇ the Orit？； and other barbarous nations。 Besides； the Persians were no great sailors；＇38＇ and their very religion debarred them from entertaining any such notion as that of a maritime commerce。 The voyage undertaken by Darius's direction upon the Indus and the Indian Sea proceeded rather from the capriciousness of a prince vainly ambitious of showing his power than from any settled regular project。 It was attended with no consequence either to the advantage of commerce or of navigation。 They emerged from their ignorance only to plunge into it again。
Besides； it was a received opinion＇39＇ before the expedition of Alexander that the southern parts of India were uninhabitable。＇40＇ This proceeded from a tradition that Semiramis＇41＇ had brought back thence only twenty men； and Cyrus but seven。
Alexander entered by the north。 His design was to march towards the east； but having found a part of the south full of great nations； cities； and rivers； he attempted to conquer it； and succeeded。
He then formed a design of uniting the Indies to the western nations by a maritime commerce； as he had already united them by the colonies he had established by land。
He ordered a fleet to be built on the Hydaspes； then fell down that river； entered the Indus； and sailed even to its mouth。 He left his army and his fleet at Patala； went himself with a few vessels to view the sea； and marked the places where he would have ports to be opened and arsenals erected。 Upon his return from Patala he separated the fleet； and took the route by land； for the mutual support of fleet and army。 The fleet followed the coast from the Indus along the banks of the country of the Orit？； of the Ichthyophagi； of Carmania and Persia。 He caused wells to be dug； built cities； and would not suffer the Ichthyophagi to live on fish；＇42＇ being desirous of having the borders of the sea inhabited by civilised nations。 Nearchus and Onesecritus wrote a journal of this voyage； which was performed in ten months。 They arrived at Susa； where they found Alexander； who gave an entertainment to his whole army。
This prince had founded Alexandria； with a view of securing his conquest of Egypt； this was a key to open it； in the very place where the kings his predecessors had a key to shut it；＇43＇ and he had not the least thought of a commerce of which the discovery of the Indian Sea could alone give him the idea。
It even seems that after his discovery he had no new design in regard to Alexandria。 He had； indeed； a general scheme of opening a trade between the East Indies and the western parts of his empire； but as for the project of conducting this commerce through Egypt； his knowledge was too imperfect to be able to form any such design。 It is true he had seen the Indus； he had seen the Nile； but he knew nothing of the Arabian seas between the two rivers。 Scarcely had he returned from India when he fitted out new fleets； and navigated on the Euleus；＇44＇ the Tigris； the Euphrates； and the ocean； he removed the cataracts； with which the Persians had encumbered those rivers； and he discovered that the Persian Gulf was a branch of the main sea。 But as he went to view this sea＇45＇ in the same manner as he had done in respect to that of India； as he caused a port to be opened for a thousand ships； and arsenals to be erected at Babylon； as he sent five hundred talents into Phoenicia and Syria； to draw mariners into this service whom he intended to distribute in the colonies along the coast； in fine； as he caused immense works to be erected on the Euphrates； and the other rivers of Assyria； there could be no doubt but he designed to carry on the commerce of India by the way of Babylon and the Persian Gulf。
There are some who pretend that Alexander wanted to subdue Arabia；＇46＇ and had formed a design to make it the seat of his empire： but how could he have pitched upon a place with which he was entirely unacquainted？＇47＇ Besides； of all countries； this would have been the most inconvenient to him； for it would have separated him from the rest of his empire。 The Caliphs； who made distant conquests； soon withdrew from Arabia to reside elsewhere。
9。 Of the Commerce of the Grecian Kings after the Death of Alexander。 At the tim